Religion that is pure
Commentary
Object:
The dog days of a hot August summer have been upon us. Some communities already have school beginning, while others are clenching onto the last moments of summer vacation times. Many congregations are trying to gear up for fall ministry programs, while others frantically worry that summer was too short and “What are we planning to do now?” Today’s lessons provide a glimpse as to what faithful people of God do in response to their salvation in this season of Pentecost -- regardless of how numerically successful they are or are not during this last week or so of summer. James 1:27 summarizes this quite nicely: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” By this standard, if nothing else, one may try to preach on giving to those who are in need outside the walls of the congregation. That is, to put our money where our words are always printed in mission statements, newsletters, and church wish lists.
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Why the rabbis allowed this book to be in the Hebrew Bible still has scholars scratching their heads throughout the ages. Yet other ancient Near East poetry has similar connections to this writing, such as Egyptian love poems. Its erotic language between two lovers would get a pastor in my church denomination sent to a “boundaries workshop” and possibly exiled to another parish.
With that said, historically the book has been used as a metaphor for Israel and God’s relationship or that of Christ and the Christian church. Neither approach does this book justice. One has to simply take it as a passionate relationship that seeks to maximize life’s possibilities while one can do so in the honeymoon stages of life. This book is a collection of love poems. Dates of origin are disputed, ranging from the tenth to the second centuries BCE. Solomon’s authorship is also questioned. A post-exile date is usually favored. This is one of the books usually read at the Jewish rite of Passover. The sexual ethic of the book is contrasted with that of Deuteronomy 22. Along with the book of Esther, this is one of the two books in the Bible that does not mention the name “God” -- though one can see God’s hand hidden in the background of both books.
Religion that is pure has a strong sense of passion. What pushes our passion button as believers these days? Is it a sense of local community festivals, children’s rights, local school and education concerns, how we treat people whom we work with both as workers and within the community? In some mainline denominations, there is a growing clergy shortage as the clergy that are available are aging. For example, a call committee chair sees the names of candidates for their vacant pastoral position and exclaims, “None of these pastors are under the age of 50! Where are the younger clergy?” The response is, “Not many are choosing to enter seminary.” Is there passion in leading church congregations these days? If not, how can such passions be rekindled?
How can any community of faith get somebody passionate enough about being a people of faith so they will receive a positive response to “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away” (2:13)? What does the church have to offer that gives people meaning in life? That is, despite any possessions or lack of possessions and success, what does the community faith have to offer that pushes a person’s passion button? Also, does the nation need another 9/11/2001 to awaken it from its stupor or malaise? The Song of Solomon gives voice to a passion that is willing to take risks. Where is that for us as people of faith? [Sources: Mark Allen Powell, ed., HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, Revised and Updated (HarperOne, 2011); James L. Mays, HarperCollins Commentary (Revised), (HarperOne, 2011)]
James 1:17-27
One of the constant complaints that people who no longer attend regular Sunday worship services make of any given church is that “They say one thing on Sunday but live another way during the week.” James 1:17-27 challenges this assumption. James believes that pure religion is practicing what Christians confess and sing about on Sunday mornings. This is “religion that is pure” for James. Scholars often try to contrast the book of James with Paul’s teachings on justification by faith in the book of Romans. A more helpful insight might be that Paul’s focus is on the salvation, life-giving, and resurrection work of Jesus, while James accentuates how one lives the Christian life in a responsible manner after becoming part of the community of faith. One can speculate whether Paul was driven by an apocalyptic fervor of living in the last days, while James is about sustaining faith in Christ for the long term. This is contested, but a viable position. Authorship of James is contested. Tradition says he is the brother of our Lord. A compromise view could be that another scribe has written the letter on behalf of a leader named “James” (Matera, pp. 357-358; 370-371).
This text cautions against a quick temper, and for a listening ear (1:19-20). This is the posture for a caring person of faith. James assumes that there is an implanted word within the believer which is to be growing as one rids themselves of “all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness” (1:21). Being “doers of the word” is the claim to fame for the entire book of James. Possibly James is making practical application of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. The similarities in ethics for Christian living are easily drawn. It is how one’s life is like in what Matthew calls the “kingdom of Heaven.”
There are two kinds of hearers: those who listen and do nothing, and those who respond in their faith. For churches that have a strong sanctification theology, this text is supportive of such a path of discipleship. For churches with a Reformation tradition that accents justification by faith, one still has to deal with the book of James within the biblical canon. This lesson reminds liturgical Christians that “worship” does not end with the closing benediction on Sunday, but continues when believers live out their lives in the broader community.
One of the directions one can take with this text is what the response is when somebody who is a non-Christian is also strongly and visibly committing their lives “to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (1:27). That is, does “confession” in and of itself suffice for discipleship, without any practical application? (Cross-reference: Matthew 28:16-20, making “disciples” of all peoples is stated.) Both Paul and James are in agreement that the world is controlled by wicked forces. Paul says in Romans 12 not to be conformed to such powers. James provides a “how-to operators manual” of “religion that is pure.” [Sources: R.A. Martin, John H. Elliot, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament: James, I-II Peter (Augsburg Fortress, 1982); Frank J. Matera, New Testament Theology: Exploring Diversity and Unity (Westminster John Knox Press, 2007)]
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
“There is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile” (7:15) -- this can be one interpretative lens for this text. A strange little boy who is not a church member comes into a church office and asks to use the restroom. The person at the church tells the boy that the custodian just finished mopping the floor, but that there is a gas station down the block that allows the public to use their restrooms. For Jesus in Mark’s gospel, this might be an example of someone honoring with their lips but not from their hearts. This is less than pure religion, as might be practiced by the Pharisees in Mark’s gospel.
Pharisees and scribes tend to color Jesus’ teaching so as to pit him against the traditional Torah. Instead, Jesus is aware of various nuances in the Torah that allow for eating with sinners (Mark 2:16-17) and plucking grain on the sabbath (2:23-28), as well as fasting laws (2:18-22). What is at odds here is ritual purity vs. moral purity. Jesus in Mark tends to privilege moral purity as it is practiced every day over ritual purity that has been reinterpreted several times by assorted groups of Judean leaders of that time.
If Christians believe that the synoptic gospel writers received their cues of the new messianic reign from the prophet Isaiah, then Isaiah 29:13 is instructive here: “these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me.” This lesson relates to the James 1 text because it addresses what it means to worship God in a practical, everyday manner while associating with other people. Is this text a reflection of similar tensions within the Pauline community regarding food laws, which Gentile Christians tended to ignore? If so, Mark like Paul reminds readers that what comes out of the person’s heart is a true reflection how pure their religion really is as it translates into behavior as disciples.
Another insight might be that possibly the community of Mark themselves had the problems of “adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly” (7:22). The disciples in Mark’s gospel do not understand the nature of Jesus’ messianic mission until he is finally crucified. Could the community itself still have internal issues as to the nature of being a disciple of Jesus? One of the major themes for preaching from this text might be simply coming clean to say we are all hypocrites in some area of our lives. Therefore, as we grow as disciples we still need God’s grace. Which acts of personal piety can cloud our otherwise better judgment as Christians? A congregational leadership can confess the love of Jesus every day, but then criticize certain people in the local community who have different ideas on government money for the needy, sexual preferences, and what is the exact definition of a “functional family.” What are the words and actions that are coming out of Christians that glorify or defile the otherwise sincere confessions of the church? During the season of Pentecost, this is an area that any congregation can examine. [Source: Francis J. Maloney, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary (Hendrickson, 2002)]
Application
It is about to become autumn for a particular local church. Finding people to run for church council, teach Sunday school, and deal with the food pantry population is going to be an uphill battle again, as it is every year about this time. This is a time to ask what the broader community and our church community expects to see and hear from people as a result of these ministries. What defiles us and what is welcomed by others who we wish to witness the grace of Christ? A family is moving into the community. They seem not to have any religious affiliation. The church secretary sees them and offers them some food from the church food pantry as well as inviting them to the community dinner. She also reminds them that if they do not have a church home they are welcome to weekly worship in their church. What if the family simply takes advantage of the food and never comes to church on Sunday? Does this diminish the witness of the church secretary? No, it does not. She is being a “doer,” as James would suggest, as well as worshiping with her heart (Isaiah 29:13).
It is fall and a young man or woman is now home for an extended period of time after being in school for a long time. Do they simply hang around the house like a couch potato, or do they make a positive contribution to the household in some manner? What happens when the credential of higher education does not yield a higher paying job but merely a payment book for a bank loan? Now is the time for the communities of faith to rally to be advocates for such situations (it could happen to any of our children or grandchildren!), to try to find networks toward getting employment or meaningful volunteer projects so as to build the person’s resumé. Sitting in front of the television set and cursing the respective politicians is not the way of pure religion.
Alternative Application
What happens when love is passionate between two people but is not compatible with local marriage laws? For example, a young couple wants to get married but their Christian parents have told them they will have to pay for their own wedding. Looking at the expenses of housing, the couple decides to cohabitate together to save on housing costs while they save up for a wedding. This presses the questions of “What is marriage? What passions drive a mature relationship? And what would happen if this couple were in their sixties and had estate issues to settle before they could legally get married?” How does the church act in a pastoral way yet not sound like Pharisees here?
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Why the rabbis allowed this book to be in the Hebrew Bible still has scholars scratching their heads throughout the ages. Yet other ancient Near East poetry has similar connections to this writing, such as Egyptian love poems. Its erotic language between two lovers would get a pastor in my church denomination sent to a “boundaries workshop” and possibly exiled to another parish.
With that said, historically the book has been used as a metaphor for Israel and God’s relationship or that of Christ and the Christian church. Neither approach does this book justice. One has to simply take it as a passionate relationship that seeks to maximize life’s possibilities while one can do so in the honeymoon stages of life. This book is a collection of love poems. Dates of origin are disputed, ranging from the tenth to the second centuries BCE. Solomon’s authorship is also questioned. A post-exile date is usually favored. This is one of the books usually read at the Jewish rite of Passover. The sexual ethic of the book is contrasted with that of Deuteronomy 22. Along with the book of Esther, this is one of the two books in the Bible that does not mention the name “God” -- though one can see God’s hand hidden in the background of both books.
Religion that is pure has a strong sense of passion. What pushes our passion button as believers these days? Is it a sense of local community festivals, children’s rights, local school and education concerns, how we treat people whom we work with both as workers and within the community? In some mainline denominations, there is a growing clergy shortage as the clergy that are available are aging. For example, a call committee chair sees the names of candidates for their vacant pastoral position and exclaims, “None of these pastors are under the age of 50! Where are the younger clergy?” The response is, “Not many are choosing to enter seminary.” Is there passion in leading church congregations these days? If not, how can such passions be rekindled?
How can any community of faith get somebody passionate enough about being a people of faith so they will receive a positive response to “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away” (2:13)? What does the church have to offer that gives people meaning in life? That is, despite any possessions or lack of possessions and success, what does the community faith have to offer that pushes a person’s passion button? Also, does the nation need another 9/11/2001 to awaken it from its stupor or malaise? The Song of Solomon gives voice to a passion that is willing to take risks. Where is that for us as people of faith? [Sources: Mark Allen Powell, ed., HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, Revised and Updated (HarperOne, 2011); James L. Mays, HarperCollins Commentary (Revised), (HarperOne, 2011)]
James 1:17-27
One of the constant complaints that people who no longer attend regular Sunday worship services make of any given church is that “They say one thing on Sunday but live another way during the week.” James 1:17-27 challenges this assumption. James believes that pure religion is practicing what Christians confess and sing about on Sunday mornings. This is “religion that is pure” for James. Scholars often try to contrast the book of James with Paul’s teachings on justification by faith in the book of Romans. A more helpful insight might be that Paul’s focus is on the salvation, life-giving, and resurrection work of Jesus, while James accentuates how one lives the Christian life in a responsible manner after becoming part of the community of faith. One can speculate whether Paul was driven by an apocalyptic fervor of living in the last days, while James is about sustaining faith in Christ for the long term. This is contested, but a viable position. Authorship of James is contested. Tradition says he is the brother of our Lord. A compromise view could be that another scribe has written the letter on behalf of a leader named “James” (Matera, pp. 357-358; 370-371).
This text cautions against a quick temper, and for a listening ear (1:19-20). This is the posture for a caring person of faith. James assumes that there is an implanted word within the believer which is to be growing as one rids themselves of “all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness” (1:21). Being “doers of the word” is the claim to fame for the entire book of James. Possibly James is making practical application of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. The similarities in ethics for Christian living are easily drawn. It is how one’s life is like in what Matthew calls the “kingdom of Heaven.”
There are two kinds of hearers: those who listen and do nothing, and those who respond in their faith. For churches that have a strong sanctification theology, this text is supportive of such a path of discipleship. For churches with a Reformation tradition that accents justification by faith, one still has to deal with the book of James within the biblical canon. This lesson reminds liturgical Christians that “worship” does not end with the closing benediction on Sunday, but continues when believers live out their lives in the broader community.
One of the directions one can take with this text is what the response is when somebody who is a non-Christian is also strongly and visibly committing their lives “to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (1:27). That is, does “confession” in and of itself suffice for discipleship, without any practical application? (Cross-reference: Matthew 28:16-20, making “disciples” of all peoples is stated.) Both Paul and James are in agreement that the world is controlled by wicked forces. Paul says in Romans 12 not to be conformed to such powers. James provides a “how-to operators manual” of “religion that is pure.” [Sources: R.A. Martin, John H. Elliot, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament: James, I-II Peter (Augsburg Fortress, 1982); Frank J. Matera, New Testament Theology: Exploring Diversity and Unity (Westminster John Knox Press, 2007)]
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
“There is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile” (7:15) -- this can be one interpretative lens for this text. A strange little boy who is not a church member comes into a church office and asks to use the restroom. The person at the church tells the boy that the custodian just finished mopping the floor, but that there is a gas station down the block that allows the public to use their restrooms. For Jesus in Mark’s gospel, this might be an example of someone honoring with their lips but not from their hearts. This is less than pure religion, as might be practiced by the Pharisees in Mark’s gospel.
Pharisees and scribes tend to color Jesus’ teaching so as to pit him against the traditional Torah. Instead, Jesus is aware of various nuances in the Torah that allow for eating with sinners (Mark 2:16-17) and plucking grain on the sabbath (2:23-28), as well as fasting laws (2:18-22). What is at odds here is ritual purity vs. moral purity. Jesus in Mark tends to privilege moral purity as it is practiced every day over ritual purity that has been reinterpreted several times by assorted groups of Judean leaders of that time.
If Christians believe that the synoptic gospel writers received their cues of the new messianic reign from the prophet Isaiah, then Isaiah 29:13 is instructive here: “these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me.” This lesson relates to the James 1 text because it addresses what it means to worship God in a practical, everyday manner while associating with other people. Is this text a reflection of similar tensions within the Pauline community regarding food laws, which Gentile Christians tended to ignore? If so, Mark like Paul reminds readers that what comes out of the person’s heart is a true reflection how pure their religion really is as it translates into behavior as disciples.
Another insight might be that possibly the community of Mark themselves had the problems of “adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly” (7:22). The disciples in Mark’s gospel do not understand the nature of Jesus’ messianic mission until he is finally crucified. Could the community itself still have internal issues as to the nature of being a disciple of Jesus? One of the major themes for preaching from this text might be simply coming clean to say we are all hypocrites in some area of our lives. Therefore, as we grow as disciples we still need God’s grace. Which acts of personal piety can cloud our otherwise better judgment as Christians? A congregational leadership can confess the love of Jesus every day, but then criticize certain people in the local community who have different ideas on government money for the needy, sexual preferences, and what is the exact definition of a “functional family.” What are the words and actions that are coming out of Christians that glorify or defile the otherwise sincere confessions of the church? During the season of Pentecost, this is an area that any congregation can examine. [Source: Francis J. Maloney, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary (Hendrickson, 2002)]
Application
It is about to become autumn for a particular local church. Finding people to run for church council, teach Sunday school, and deal with the food pantry population is going to be an uphill battle again, as it is every year about this time. This is a time to ask what the broader community and our church community expects to see and hear from people as a result of these ministries. What defiles us and what is welcomed by others who we wish to witness the grace of Christ? A family is moving into the community. They seem not to have any religious affiliation. The church secretary sees them and offers them some food from the church food pantry as well as inviting them to the community dinner. She also reminds them that if they do not have a church home they are welcome to weekly worship in their church. What if the family simply takes advantage of the food and never comes to church on Sunday? Does this diminish the witness of the church secretary? No, it does not. She is being a “doer,” as James would suggest, as well as worshiping with her heart (Isaiah 29:13).
It is fall and a young man or woman is now home for an extended period of time after being in school for a long time. Do they simply hang around the house like a couch potato, or do they make a positive contribution to the household in some manner? What happens when the credential of higher education does not yield a higher paying job but merely a payment book for a bank loan? Now is the time for the communities of faith to rally to be advocates for such situations (it could happen to any of our children or grandchildren!), to try to find networks toward getting employment or meaningful volunteer projects so as to build the person’s resumé. Sitting in front of the television set and cursing the respective politicians is not the way of pure religion.
Alternative Application
What happens when love is passionate between two people but is not compatible with local marriage laws? For example, a young couple wants to get married but their Christian parents have told them they will have to pay for their own wedding. Looking at the expenses of housing, the couple decides to cohabitate together to save on housing costs while they save up for a wedding. This presses the questions of “What is marriage? What passions drive a mature relationship? And what would happen if this couple were in their sixties and had estate issues to settle before they could legally get married?” How does the church act in a pastoral way yet not sound like Pharisees here?
